1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the remote control of electromechanical devices using control signals that are created on any device having a web browser, transmitted via a communications network, received by computer, which in turn sends the control signals via wireless link to a remote controlled electromechanical device.
2. Prior Art
Because this invention draws upon several different technologies, each will be discussed separately. At the conclusion of this section, the reader will be able to review the discussion of the few inventions that most closely resemble the one set forth here.
Topic 1—Radio Controlled Devices
There is a significant body of prior art which describes the remote control of an electromechanical device using radio waves as the medium to transport control signals. Typically these involve a set of servos and or motors that operate a battery powered mechanical device such as a miniature car or toy plane. The behavior of the mechanical device is remotely controlled by a portable battery powered control unit. Both the mechanical device and the control panel are equipped with an antenna. Control signals are created by manually adjusting a variety of knobs, levers, and switches on the control panel. The control panel converts these behavioral requests into analog signals and sends them via radio waves to the mechanical device. The mechanical device converts the radio waves into electrical signals which in turn control the servos and or motors that produce a behavior in the device.
Examples include:
US Class/U.S. Pat. No.TitleSubclass4,168,468Radio Motor Control System340/825.634,248,011Steering for RC Car446/4564,548,584Radio Controlled Mobile Device434/1185,481,257Remote Controlled Vehicle w/Camera340/825.695,609,312Model Helicopter244/17.195,762,533Toy Vehicle with adjustable wheels446/4665,816,352Remote Control Toy180/675,816,888Remote Controlled Vehicle446/456
All of these inventions, and the very many similar toys and devices available today, are highly limited in that:                1. in order to control the electromechanical device a person must have a physical control panel—meaning that control is not easily shared between a large number of people;        2. anyone using the control panel to control the electromechanical device must themselves be within a relatively short range (usually line of sight) of the device; and        3. the number of devices that an individual control panel can control is limited to the number of devices that can operate within the range of the transmitter.        
In short, this control design does not scale to very large numbers of electromechanical devices, controllers, or human participants, and is also severely limited by distance.
Another significant limitation is the complexity of control signals that can be generated using a physical control panel. The signals that ultimately drive the actions of the remote controlled device are entered into the control panel using a variety of levers and switches. If the person controlling the device wants to repeat a particular set of actions, that person must repeat the physical act of moving the levers and switches on the control panel. In this manner, the user cannot “record” a set of behaviors for playback. Similarly, because the control information is generated and sent in real time, the user cannot record a complex set of commands at a slow speed and then “play-back” the set of signals at a higher speed.
In short, the control panel cannot remember what controls are being sent to the device, nor can it facilitate the entry of highly complex and numerous commands at a slower speed for playback at a higher speed.
Topic 2—Computer Controlled Children's Toys
Advances in industrial technology have created exciting opportunities for the development of new and interesting children's toys.
One example of an electromechanical children's toy is the suite of products marketed under the trade name “Mindstorms™” from the wonderful people at LEGO®. Lego Mindstorms include robotic and electromechanical control components that enable people to build robots. The control information, or programming, for these robots is done on a personal computer and then uploaded to the robot. This technique provides the robot with a set of behaviors that can be triggered by elements in the robot's surrounding environment. For example, a robot can be built that senses light or motion and then takes an action, like making a noise or firing a toy gun.
The heart of the LEGO system is the RCX microcontroller. The program for the chip is created on a personal computer using LEGO's proprietary programming code. This code is then sent from the computer using an infrared transmitter. An infrared receiver on the robot receives the program and stores it in the memory of the RCX microcontroller.
The RCX is connected to a variety to sensors on the robot. Sensors capture information about the environment and send the data to the RCX chip where it is processed. Based on the program running on the chip, the RCX will send out signals that in turn control motors, pneumatics, and other elements that make the robot behave in the desired way.
The Mindstorm products use an infrared beam of light to transmit information from the personal computer to the robot. Infrared communication has some significant limitations including:                1. very short range        2. a direct line of sight is required between sender and receiver because, unlike radio waves, light will not pass through walls or around corners        
The Mindstorm products are not intended to be remotely controlled. Once the code is downloaded to the robot, it behaves in a completely autonomous manner. If the user wants to change the behavior of the device, she or he must return to the computer, rewrite the code, reload the code onto the robot, and then continue.
In addition to the LEGO example described above, there are several prior art examples of patents that combine personal computers and interactive toys. Examples include:
US Class/U.S. Pat. No.TitleSubclass4,548,584Computer controlled mobile device434/1184,846,693Video Based instructional entertainment434/308system using an animated figure5,636,994Interactive Computer Controlled doll434/3085,733,131Education/Entertainment device434/3075,746,602PC peripheral Internet Toy434/1695,752,880Wireless interactive doll463/15,977,951System and method for substituting345/156an animated character when a remotecontrol character is unavailable6,319,010PC peripheral interactive doll434/169
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,584 provides for “Computer control of a mobile device” where the device uses a micro-controller which in turn controls the motors and associated behavior of the device. Unlike the Lego product, the “Computer controlled mobile device” described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,584 remains tethered to the computer via a cable approximately of approximately “16 feet or 5 meters”. U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,584 from the section entitled “Electrical/Electronic”. This constant communication link between computer and device is in some respects an improvement over LEGO, however, the device is limited in that:                1. the range and mobility of the device is limited by the length of the cable;        2. only one person can control the device at a time;        3. the person controlling the device must be in the same room as the device; and        4. programming the device to perform tasks is accomplished by writing software and commands that can be interpreted by the microcontroller; and        5. the mobile device cannot be controlled from a web browser.        
U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,693 describes a “video based instructional entertainment system” in which the eyes and mouth of an animated doll (such as a toy bear) move in response to audio signals. In this invention, a control box is connected to a conventional videocassette recorder. Electromechanical control signals are scripted to match actions and images in a movie or presentation. Both elements are encoded on video tape. When the tape is played in said cassette recorder, the control box interprets the control signals to control an attached doll. In this manner the illusion is created that the doll is having an animated conversation with the video image.
While this invention does suggest use of a keyboard that would provide local real-time control of the toy, this invention is limited in that:                1. a lack of wireless control limits the mobility of the doll        2. the control signals reside on a video tape or CD and do not provide for remote control        3. the solution does not provide for control of the device by a person in a different location        4. the device is not being directly controlled by a person and, as a result, can only execute pre-programmed actions.        
U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,994 describes an “interactive computer controlled doll” whereby a toy doll is connected to a computer. A computer program originates control signals that are in turn sent to a micro-controller which sends electromechanical control signals to various motors in a toy doll. “A program source such as a CD-ROM contains information which is processed by the computer.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,994 from the section entitled “Abstract”. In other words, the control signals are all predetermined and stored on media. The invention does suggest the use of a wireless communication link, however, all of the control signals originate from a locally hosted software program and not from a person. As a result, this invention has the following limitations:                1. control cannot be shared between a large number of people;        2. control cannot be easily shared between multiple computers;        3. this solution does not easily scale to control very large numbers of dolls in multiple remote locations; and        4. the doll cannot be controlled from a web browser.        
U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,131 describes an “education and entertainment device with dynamic configuration and operation” in which information about current events (weather, financial news, entertainment information) is sent via a Gaskill paging system or similar one-way communication link) to receivers embedded in dolls and/or small toys. This invention does provide for control signals to originate in a remote location and be sent to large numbers of devices. For example, a large number of “weather bears” will individually report the weather of the region in which they are located. U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,131 from the section entitled “Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment”. In addition, this invention provides for individual devices to be remotely controlled in a limited fashion by human beings. More specifically, the invention suggests that a person could push buttons on a telephone requesting a particular behavior. The signal is then sent through the public switched telephone network and ultimately to the toy. The request could cause the device to enunciate a specific phrase (e.g. a parent reminds a child to do homework, brush teeth, go to bed) or demonstrate a physical behavior.
While this is a clever invention, it has the following weaknesses:                1. unlike the internet, the Gaskill paging system is a one-way communications link;        2. control of a single toy cannot be easily shared among a large number of people;        3. the individual generating the control signals has a very limited set of choices;        4. the control interface (phone) does not provide a visual representation of the actions of the toy;        5. the person controlling the toy does not know when their request is executed;        6. they cannot see the result of their request unless they can actually see the device being controlled; and        7. the device cannot be controlled from a web browser.        
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,602 describes a “PC peripheral interactive doll” for teaching and educating a child using an interactive doll with a wireless link to a personal computer. In this invention, scripted data is stored on a computer. The doll captures feedback from the child and sends information back to the PC. The software running on the PC determines what actions should be taken and then transmits motion and action scripts that drive additional subsequent behavior of the toy. The patent does suggest that the toy could have “access to mass storage devices and remote databanks through digital and analog communication links” U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,602 from the section entitled “Background of the invention”. While this implies access to remote databases via the internet, the local computer that is connected to the toy is the entity controlling the toy. The patent describes an alternate embodiment in which the computer receives audio signals from a person on a telephone in a remote location, but it does not describe a graphical interface that could be used by a person or persons for controlling the toy from afar. As a result, this invention has the following limitations:                1. control cannot be shared between a large number of people;        2. control cannot be easily shared between multiple computers;        3. it does not scale to provide control of large numbers of devices situated in multiple remote locations;        4. the invention does not allow for the person controlling the device to have fine grain control over the physical behavior of the toy; and        5. the doll cannot be controlled from a web browser.        
U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,880 describes an “Interactive Doll” where two toys are controlled by a computer system via radio (wireless) links. In this invention multiple toys respond to a plurality of input techniques including voice command and the use of a graphical interface. While this system allows for the control of multiple devices using a graphical interface it does not provide for remote control via the computer networks nor does it include the sharing of control between people in multiple remote locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,977,951 provides a “System and method for substituting an animated character when a remote control physical character is unavailable”. This computer based system provides for an on-screen animated replica of a remote control device as a back-up when the remote control device becomes unavailable, but does not directly relate to the remote control of a wireless device via the internet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,010 describes a “PC peripheral interactive doll” where a toy doll is connected to a computer. A computer program originates control signals that are in turn sent to a micro-controller which sends electromechanical control signals to various motors in a toy doll. These motors, in turn, cause the toy doll to move. While “data and routines available from the Internet are made available to the interactive doll,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,310,010 from the section entitled “Description of the Preferred Embodiment”. the control of the doll resides with the software. The device is not remotely controlled, but is controlled by the PC to which it is connected. Because the original control information is generated by a software program and not by a person in real time, this invention has the following limitations:
1. a person or individual cannot directly control the doll;
2. control cannot be shared between a large number of people;
3. control cannot be easily shared between multiple computers;
4. the responses of the toy are predetermined; and
5. the doll cannot be controlled from a web browser.
German Patent DE 3009-040 describes a device for adding the capability to transmit sound from a remote control to a controlled model vehicle. The sound is generated by means of a microphone or a tape recorder and transmitted to the controlled model vehicle by means of radio communications. The model vehicle is equipped with a speaker that emits the received sounds.
Topic 3—Robotics and Computer Controlled Puppetry
Robotics is another area that blends electromechanical control and computers. The following U.S. patents deal with systems that are used for computer driven control of electromechanical devices:
U.S. Pat. No.TitleUS Class/Subclass4,825,136Mimetic function simulator318/568.15,493,185Method for animating a motorized318/3puppet
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,136 discloses an apparatus for controlling a doll based upon storage and reproduction of analog and digital recorded signals. An attached recording device records, stores, and then transmits the electromechanical control signals that control servos on a puppet. Control cords connect the doll to the recording and playback device. This invention has several shortfalls. Specifically the invention does not:
1. provide wireless control of the device;
2. scale to large numbers of persons who want to share control of the puppet;
3. scale to control very large numbers of puppets;
4. scale to control puppets located in multiple locations; nor does it
5. allow the doll to controlled using a web browser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,185 describes a “method for animating motor driven puppets (and the like) and apparatus for implementing the method”. This invention provides the capability for a puppeteer to control multiple devices by remote control, whether wireless or by cable. The invention allows for the combination of both preprogrammed and spontaneous human generated control signals as well as for the recording and playback of complex tasks. While an improvement over the prior art, this invention has several shortfalls including:                1. because control signals originate with the computer connected to the puppet(s), the number of people who can control the puppet is limited to the number of people who can use the single computer. As a result, control of the puppet is not easily shared amongst a large number of people;        2. the invention does not easily scale to control very large numbers of devices located in multiple locations; and        3. the invention does not allow for the puppets to be controlled from a web browser.Topic 4—Telepresence/Telerobitics        
There are several examples of prior art that enable the remote control of a device from a great distance. The following prior art examples describe various means by which an electromechanical device can be controlled from a remote location.
The “Robotic Arm Project” at the University of Australia maintains a robotic arm that can be remotely controlled over the internet from their web site at telerobot dot mech dot uwa dot edu dot au. The arm is monitored by a webcam A webcam is a camera that is connected to the internet and that sends images, photographs, or video over the internet so that they can be viewed in a remote location, which enables the person controlling the arm to see what actions are being taken. Visitors to the university's web site can control the robotic arm and move colored blocks around. Overall, this has been a successful experiment with approximately 500,000 people having accessed the robotic arm between 1994 and 2000.
In order to control the arm, a user must download a java applet from the university. Control information for the arm is entered as text in the form of 3 dimensional special coordinates using an X, Y, Z notation with modifiers T and S controlling the acute angle of the robotic arm and the acute angle of the claw respectively.
Software at the University of Australia converts the commands entered via the Java Applet into electrical signals that in turn control the robotic arm.
In spite of its usage over the years, there are many elements which could be improved including:                1. the software that controls the arm is designed to operate in a non-commercial, low security environment (meaning that persons cannot control the device from a computer with standard commercial security measures in place e.g. a firewall);        2. the experiment uses a highly technical interface that requires the user to learn a great deal before the interface can be used;        3. the experiment uses a text based input technique and does not capitalize on the invention and wide use of the computer “mouse” to enable traditional “drag and drop” capabilities which are so common in interface design today;        4. in its current design, the system requires a physical (data cable) connection to the machine receiving the control information from the internet; and        5. perhaps most important, the system provides very poor user feedback regarding the current position of the arm—neither the arm nor the toy blocks are graphically represented in a format that makes it is easy for the user to decipher what is happening with the arm or the blocks. Data regarding the position of the arm can only be obtained by reviewing the text based command window and by viewing the time delayed image provided by the web cam.        
The control applet is designed to be used in a non-commercial, low security environment consistent with educational use within a university campus. The Java applet requires a direct socket connection on TCP/IP ports 4444 and 4445 between the java applet and the university server. This means that persons using computers protected by a “Firewall” cannot control the robotic arm because Firewalls are designed to prevent traffic from flowing through these standard ports. To do otherwise would present a security risk to the company or community protected by the Firewall.
The user interface requires the user to decode the position of the arm based on 3 dimensional special coordinates provided in an X, Y, Z notation (e.g. a description of the current position of the arm might be “Robot Position=X=350 Y+480 Z=50 degrees T=17 degrees gripper open”).
Because of the non-graphical text based method of entering control information, study and preparation is required for the user to understand how to determine the position of the arm and to enter information. The interface does not allow for the manipulation of a graphical or animated representation of the robotic arm.
In addition, once the control information has been entered, the user does not immediately know what the physical outcome of the control request was. The user must wait and see the results in the video window.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, in this and other similar examples, the device being controlled has no mobility—meaning it is physically tethered to a server. The result is that it cannot be easily moved within the space, or moved to another room without being disconnected.
Another example of Telepresence Technologies is The Puma Paint Project. Started at Villanova University, the project is currently being moved to Rodger Williams University in Rhode Island. Puma Paint allows the user to download a Java applet that accepts commands and control information that is in turn used to control a robotic arm located at Rodger Williams University. The robotic arm used by Puma Paint, is used to dip a paint brush into paint and then depress the brush against a physical canvas thereby enabling the user to paint a picture in a remote location. As with the Australian project, a web cam is pointed at the canvas thereby providing the user with a real time picture of the painting process.
The interface for Puma Paint is superior to that of the Australian project in that it is more graphical, however, Puma Paint still uses a set of 3 dimensional special coordinates provided in an X, Y, Z notation to describe the location of the robotic arm holding the paint brush. Similar to the Australian project, there are a number of text based user feedback elements that provide the user with complex and not immediately understandable feedback about the painting process (e.g. labels on the interface include “% acked?”, “packet Q”, “ack'd cmds” and similar phrases which are not immediately easy to understand).
Similar to the Australian project, Puma Paint is physically tethered to the machine receiving the control information from the internet. This prohibits greater mobility on the part of the device being controlled. For example, in its current form, Puma Paint could not be easily moved to another room in the university, nor could it be easily moved outside without using numerous lengths of computer cables.
Topic 4—Adult Entertainment Devices
There are a wide variety of massage and related devices designed to soothe and or stimulate areas of the body. Examples include:
U.S. Pat. No.TitleUS Class/Subclass3,991,751Portable Vibrator12//365,470,303Massage Device601/845,911,686Male Sexual Aid600/386,110,102Vision of Love600/386,142,929Sexual Stimulation Apparatus600/386,280,403Massage Device601/706,203,491Adult Sexual Apparatus600/386,368,268Method and device for interactive600/38virtual control of sexual aidsusing digital computer networks
The most relevant example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,368,268 which describes a “method and device for remote control of a sexual aid via the internet. The invention describes computers with a radio transmitter for control of a wireless device, and a video camera so that the actions of the device can be viewed by a remote party controlling the device. The process described in the application requires the person who wishes to control the device to obtain and install a piece of software on a personal computer. While this invention provides for the remote control of a wireless device, the process has the following deficiencies:                1. the invention requires the user to obtain and install software—precluding the user from spontaneously controlling a device.        2. the manufacturer or provider of the invention must develop multiple versions of software to accommodate multiple operating systems and control devices;        3. the invention does not provide for an animated representation of the device being controlled. The result is that it must rely upon the video signal sent by the remote camera forcing the user to control a device she or he may not be able to see.        
WebPower Inc. under the trade name “SafeSexPlus.com” markets and sells a device called “the SafeSexPlus adapter”. The SafeSex Plus adapter has been mentioned on CNN, the Howard Stem Radio Show, Wired Magazine, and other publications. The device consists of a small beige plastic box . . . with suction cups on the back, two light sensors . . . and a port for your sex toy” “The Love Machines” article by Tricia Baldwin published by Salon.com
To operate the SafeSexPlus adapter, the user loads software (included) onto his or her computer. When run, the software creates the image of a square on the screen that is half white and half gray. Using the suction cups, the user then affixes the plastic box over the section of the screen that displays the colored square.
A second person in a remote location uses similar software that generates a duplicate image of a white and gray square on their screen. Using a mouse, the remote user changes the color of the square from white to gray. The corresponding shift in the color of the square is sent back to the first via the internet.
The color changes are then reproduced on the display of the first computer. The changes in color are detected by the light sensors on the SafeSexPlus adapter (plastic box) hanging from the monitor via suction cups.
The changes in color are interpreted by the SafeSexPlus adapter, and the corresponding electromechanical control signals travel down a wire to the adult toy.
As a result, the intensity of the vibration in the toy is a controlled by a person in a remote location via the internet using a graphical interface.
While this invention provides for remote control of an electromechanical device via the internet, it has the following significant limitations:                1. the invention does not provide for wireless control of the device;        2. the suction cup is prone to “slide” on a computer screen's smooth surface thereby moving the light sensors out of position and preventing communication between the computer and the device;        3. the invention does not allow for two way communication between the screen and the SafeSexPlus adapter. A mono-directional information flow prevents the computer from detecting the presence of the SafeSexPlus adapter, and prevents the SafeSexPlus adapter from sending any kind of acknowledgement or error message if an input is incomplete, corrupted, or misunderstood;        4. the person controlling the device is required to download a small application or “applet” in order to control the device;        5. the device can not be controlled using a web browser; and        6. most importantly, interface does not provide a visual representation of the device being controlled.        
Feelthe.net LLC markets a product called “Sexsations” under the trade name DigitalIntamacy.com. The Sexsations product enables someone to control an electromechanical device over the internet using a graphical interface.
The product provides a Java based graphical interface that is downloaded over the internet and is then used to control up to four electromechanical devices located in a remote location. The Java interface allows the person controlling the devices to specify the body location and the level of vibration to be applied. The control signals are captured by the Java applet and sent over the internet to someone in possession of the Sexsations hardware device. The hardware device is connected to a personal computer via a 9 pin serial port connection.
While this invention provides for remote control of an electromechanical device via the internet, it has the following significant limitations:                1. the invention does not provide for wireless control of the device;        2. the nature of the serial connection between the Sexsations hardware device and the computer requires the computer to be rebooted in order to recognize the device;        7. the person controlling the device is required to download a small application or “applet” in order to control the device;        8. the applet is very large (more than 5 Megabytes) and can take several minutes to download;        3. the device can not be controlled using a web browser; and        4. perhaps most importantly, interface does not provide a visual representation of the device being controlled.        
Cyber-Vibe Inc. is currently developing a product that would allow for wireless control of a sexual device. However, like the Safe-Sex-Plus and Sexsations products noted above, their product requires the person controlling the device to obtain and install an application on their computer. A Cyber-Vibe device can not be controlled using only a web browser. Also, as with the Safe-Sex-Plus and Sexsations products, the control interface for the Cyber-Vibe product does not include a graphical representation of the toy being controlled. The result is that user feedback is dependent upon being able to see the device in a real-time video image. If the device leaves the camera's field of vision—the user's ability to control the device is impaired.
VR Innovations markets a product called the “Virtual Sex Machine”. The product includes CD-ROMs or DVDs that contain video images and control signals. The product also includes a sexual stimulation device that can be connected to a computer using a standard 9 pin serial cable. When the DVD or CD-ROM is played, the computer displays the video images and relays the control signals to the sexual stimulation device. In this manner the sexual stimulation device is able to “respond” to the video images displayed.
This invention is limited in that it does not allow for real-time control by a person in a remote location; nor does it provide for wireless remote control of the device;
In summary, while prior art examples include a wide array of remote controlled devices, and a variety of techniques for controlling them, none allows the user to control the remote device using only a web browser. All of the prior art example require that prior to controlling a device the user obtain a physical control panel or piece of software—none allows anyone with a web browser to spontaneously take control of a wireless device. None include an animated representation of the device being controlled and, as a result, are highly dependant upon a video image to help them understand the result of their control requests.